Under-18s: Edinburgh finish strongly but Reds take U-18 title

Edinburgh bounced back from their defeat by Caledonia last weekend to achieve a comfortable win over Borders at Walkerburn yesterday in the final round of the National Under-18 Selection Fixtures with a blitz of first-half tries.

The capital, strengthened by the return of several key players involved in the Schools Cup final last weekend, were much too slick with ball in hand for the Borders, with Edinburgh Academy scrum-half Alex Glashan showing sharp form and Loretto centre Ruairidh Young incisive in midfield.

All Edinburgh's points were scored in the first half, from a brace of tries by Glashan, a hat-trick from the Merchiston centre Josh Nutton and one from Heriot's wing John Rae. Loretto half-back Danny Owenson's five conversions gave the capital side a 40-3 interval advantage.

Borders, who made crucial changes at the break, took the honours in the second half scoring tries through Selkirk replacement stand-off Callum McColm and Kelso Quins wing Sean Hook to add to a first half penalty by their impressive full-back Josh Welsh. In the other district game yesterday, Caledonia produced a strong finish to defeat Glasgow 19-14 at Falkirk, giving the Reds the championship title with three wins from three in a quality match switched from Stirling to Falkirk.

Glasgow had tries from Ayr full-back Burns Singh and clubmate Robbie Fergusson who converted both scores. Caledonia's tries were scored by Dunfermline centre Martin Scade, Deeside wing Callum Gordon and Stirling prop Jamie Bhatti, two of them converted by Aberdeen stand-off Ewan Brumwell.

Edinburgh: C Jack (Currie); J Farndale (Edinburgh Academy), J Nutton (Merchiston), R Young (Loretto/Musselburgh), J Rae (George Heriot's); D Owenson (Loretto/Musselburgh), A Glashan (Edinburgh Academy); T Hutcheson (Loretto/Musselburgh), A Ross (George Watson's College), R Wilson (Dunbar), D Marinello (George Watson's), D Forbes (Edinburgh Academy), R Davies (George Watson's), C Dean (Edinburgh Academy), C Barnett (Boroughmuir). Subs used: S Butler (Currie), M Arnold (George Heriot's), J Gray (George Watson's), T Normand (Edinburgh Academy), M Johnson (George Watson's College), A Middleton (George Watson's College), C Warnock (Loretto/Musselburgh).

Borders: J Welsh (Selkirk YC); A Baxter (Duns Colts), L McLennan (Selkirk YC), M Binnie (Melrose Wasps), S Hook (Kelso Quins); R Jeffries (Gala Wanderers), D Millar (Gala Wanderers); C Maguire (Berwick Colts), R Anderson (Langholm), M Waldron (Selkirk YC), D Ainslie (Berwick Colts), G Young (Jed Thistle), D Hall (Peebles Colts), S Graham (Hawick PSA), J Stewart (Kelso Quins). Subs used: J Fraser (Jed Thistle), S Muir (Hawick PSA), R Todd (Gala Wanderers), R Grigg (Duns Colts), A Camerson (Kelso Quins), J Morris Peebles Colts), C McColm (Selkirk YC), R Clinch (Peebles Colts)